The draw for the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup was made on Thursday evening, following Tottenham’s 4-3 victory over Manchester United.
After reaching the semi-finals for the fourth time within the final seven seasons, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs facet will tackle holders Liverpool within the final 4.
Arne Slot’s Reds beat Southampton 2-1 on Wednesday evening.
Newcastle – who beat Brentford 3-1 within the quarter-finals – will play Arsenal, who noticed off Crystal Palace because of Gabriel Jesus’ hat-trick.
That left the opportunity of a north London derby ultimate.
The 2-legged Carabao Cup semi-final ties will happen over two legs throughout the week commencing January 6 and the week starting February 3.
Each sport from this season’s competitors is obtainable to look at reside on Sky Sports activities.
Arsenal’s fixture headache
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Highlights from the Carabao Cup quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace
Similar to many groups combating on all fronts, Arsenal’s January commitments don’t learn favourably. Eight video games in three totally different competitions, and that’s earlier than a Carabao Cup semi-final date is confirmed, rounding the whole as much as 9.
How Mikel Arteta offers with such a congested schedule may very well be the making or breaking of their season. The brand new yr begins with visits to Brentford and Brighton, earlier than a successive run of 4 residence video games, internet hosting Man Utd within the FA Cup, Tottenham within the north London derby, Aston Villa and Dinamo Zagreb within the Champions League.
The month ends with journeys to Wolves and at last Girona.
It’s an exhausting programme for a squad not but blessed with notably convincing energy in depth. The Gunners’ second string wanted reinforcements off the bench – Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka – to see off Crystal Palace within the quarters and you watched an analogous XI, with out the 2 named, wouldn’t include sufficient firepower to achieve March’s showpiece.
Arteta should strike the right steadiness to remain afloat.
Can Liverpool sustain momentum in January?
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup quarter-final conflict between Southampton and Liverpool
Liverpool would not have the trickiest January of the Carabao Cup semi-finalists on paper, nonetheless they do face a visit to Brentford who’re nonetheless unbeaten on residence soil, and host Man Utd – who simply gained on the Etihad – of their first sport of 2025.
Nottm Forest aren’t any mugs on the Metropolis Floor, both. However there may very well be some possibilities to rotate, too – Accrington Stanley, Ipswich and Lille go to Anfield and though a ultimate Champions League group sport at PSV just isn’t the best, Liverpool may have wrapped up high spot within the first section by then – and might utilise just a few squad gamers once more.
There may be additionally the small matter of a Merseyside derby to re-arrange – though in an already-packed January, that can possible have to attend till February no less than.
Already-stretched Tottenham’s difficult run
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup quarter-final conflict between Tottenham and Manchester United
Tottenham’s choice issues in key areas, notably defensively, haven’t accomplished a lot to assist Postecoglou construct upwards momentum in north London and he now faces a punishing January because the membership seek for their first silverware in 16 years.
Newcastle go to London earlier than what ought to be a routine journey to Tamworth within the FA Cup third spherical, however then a derby with Arsenal, visits to Everton and Hoffenheim, and residential video games with Leicester and Elfsborg spherical off a busy month.
Freshness may give Newcastle the sting
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup quarter-final match between Newcastle United and Brentford
In contrast to their semi-final rivals, Newcastle don’t have any European soccer to deal with in January which may very well be the marginal acquire Eddie Howe will likely be trying to exploit over the opposite three groups.
Even after their first-leg journey to Arsenal, it’s Bromley, of Sky Guess League Two, at residence within the FA Cup at St James’ Park, that means Howe will be capable of rotate accordingly if required. Residence matches within the Premier League towards Wolves and Bournemouth observe. It may very well be quite a bit worse.
